California Casualty, Firefighters Association of Missouri endorsed program for auto & home insurance, wants to thank you with a new Work Hard/Play Hard Sweepstakes. One lucky firefighter, EMT or law enforcement officer will receive a $7,500 Garage Makeover. FFAM members can enter at www.PoliceFireGiveaway.com.

The winner of the newest Work Hard/Play Hard Sweepstakes from California Casualty will be handed a $7,500 check to create the garage of their dreams.

Imagine the possibilities: new cabinets, custom tool storage, shiny new flooring or even a beverage and snack area to go with a big screen TV.

Whether it’s a gym, workshop, or refuge from the stresses of the day, California Casualty will help create the ultimate garage. It’s our thanks for the hard work first responders do, often putting their lives in danger, to keep our communities safer.

The Work Hard/Play Hard “$7,500 Garage Makeover” drawing is open to all FFAM members; entries are being taken now through October 31, 2019, at www.PoliceFireGiveaway.com. The winner will be announced in November.

FFAM members can learn more about California Casualty and how it appreciates all you do athttps://mycalcas.com.

The Johnson County Fire Protection District was the recipient of a $2,500 Community Investment Grant from local energy transportation company, Enbridge. Funds donated to the District will support their efforts to purchase additional portable lighting to be used on emergency scenes throughout the District. Additional on scene lighting will aid fire personnel in avoiding many of the hazards often hidden on scenes due to poor visibility in darkened structures and other emergency scene areas. Enbridge Inc. is North America’s premier energy infrastructure company with strategic business platforms that include an extensive network of crude oil, liquids and natural gas pipelines, regulated natural gas distribution utilities and renewable power generation. The company safely delivers an average of 2.9 million barrels of crude oil each day through its Mainline and Express Pipeline, and accounts for nearly 65% of U.S. bound Canadian crude oil production, and moves approximately 20% of all natural gas consumed in the U.S. serving key supply basins and demand markets. Enbridge also has interest in more than 2,500 MW of net renewable generating capacity in North American and Europe. The Company has ranked on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations index for the past nine years.

The Johnson County Fire Protection District recently received a $202 donation from the Warrensburg Westlake Ace Hardware. The funds were raised by the store during a fundraiser in July 2019, to assist the District in purchasing equipment to produce digital training and safety programs for the District’s members. Ace employee Mallory Platt presented the donation to Training and Safety Division Chief Ken Jennings. Platt attends the University of Central Missouri and recently completed an internship program with the District.

The City of Cameron Fire Department accepted delivery of a new 2019 Heiman WildThing Apparatus in August of 2019. The purchase of the apparatus was made by the Cameron Rural Fire Protection District. The sale of the apparatus was made possible through Heiman Fire Equipment Sioux Falls SD. The apparatus was constructed to meet the many needs of the fire department. The Cameron Fire Department and City of Cameron thanks the Cameron Rural Fire Protection District for making this purchase possible. The Cameron Fire Department is a paid-per-call fire department responding to approximately 350 fire and emergency related calls per year. The Department provides protection for the City of Cameron and 144 square mile Cameron Rural Fire Protection District with a total population of approximately 18,000 residents.

The Western Taney County Fire District took delivery or this 2019 Rosenbauer Engine/Tanker. It is the fire districts eleventh’s engine/tanker. It is built on a 2019 Rosenbauer Commander Chassis with Cummings 450 HP motor and Allison Transmission. It has a 1,500 GPM Darley PSD rear mounted pump and a 1,500 gallon water tank and 50 gallon Class A foam tank. Besides being an fully capable engine and tanker, the truck carries vehicle rescue equipment and equipment for wildland firefighting.

A couple of months age I received a call from Fire Chief David Pratte of the Bonne Terre Fire Department. Actually I should say the Bonne Terre/Big River Fire Service since he told me that the two departments had merged. The Big River Fire Department is a rural tag supported department that protects a large area around Bonne Terre.

Chief Pratte was calling to see if I would be interested in being the keynote speaker and MC for the dedication of their new fire station. My first question to him was, “how did you find me?” and the second was, “how did you know I was still alive?”

I guess the answer to the last question is oblivious if your department is a member of the FFAM, since these history articles keep appearing in the newsletter. The answer to the first was easy because he was acquainted with someone who was aware we had moved to Branson.

He said that he had attended a number of classes I had conducted when I was with the University of Missouri and would be happy to have me there and I was honored and flattered to be invited.

The Johnson County Fire Protection District hosted eight of the District’s Junior Firefighters for an all-day academy on August 2, 2019, at the District Headquarters in Warrensburg. The academy provided one-on-one training opportunities for each participant. The academy focused on enhancing basic firefighting skills which included personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) donning, an SCBA confidence course, forcible entry, fire behavior, hose line deployment, and advancing and flowing hose lines. The District’s Junior Firefighter Program has been active since 1999 and allows youth 14 to 17 years old to participate in District activities which include trainings and response to emergency incident scenes in a supporting role. The District currently has 11 participants and has had a positive influence on area youth including many participants who moved on to become firefighters after turning 18 years old.

Well another fair is in the books, seems like they go faster the older I get.

I would like to thank everyone who came for work weekends to get ready for the fair and anything else that was done to make the 2019 State Fair Fire Department a success. Thanks to all who donated items, equipment, food, radios, and time. I know Larry will list all people who donated in his article.

Also the fair would not operate without you the FFAM members. This could not operate without you! Also the committee as we strive to make each year better.

I would like to thank Kenny, Rick, RB, Terry and all other committees for their input and support. Also a thank you to the Board of Directors for having faith in me and support in me as chairman of the committee. A special thanks to Gail Hagans-Reynolds for the outstanding pictures. I believe you now have a title, “State Fair Photographer.”

This year we will accept fair applications until June 1, 2020. I will get applications in next newsletter. Again many thanks to all and God Bless you all.

Hello from the east side of the state and District 7. I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer despite what mother nature passed our way. Speaking of summer, it is almost coming to an end. The 2019 Missouri State Fair is in the history books and I want to say thank you to Chief Terry Plumb on his first year as chief. There is an old saying, “the first is the worst,” so if that’s the case, the next years to come will be easy sailing because your staff did an outstanding job. Congratulation to all the award winners: Junior Dispatcher Colton Smiley, Dispatcher Evan Clark, Firefighter Brian Smiley and Dylan Farrell, Officer Emily Sweet, everyone did a great job! Without all the members we could not have the Missouri State Fair Volunteer Fire Department. Another big thanks to all the department and districts and vendors that donated all the equipment for us to use during the fair. Words can’t express the thanks and the gratitude we have for them allowing us to borrow their equipment so we can serve the Missouri State Fair and the fair guests.

This year’s poster contest winners were guests of the Missouri State Fair Volunteer Fire Department. They received their prize money, the poster, a ribbon and tickets to the midway. I hope that all that attended enjoyed the day at the fair and hope to see them again next year. A big shout out and thank you to the ladies auxiliary for the purchase of the stand to display the winning posters and ribbons. For the winner’s that were unable to come to the fair your prize money will be mailed. With the fair in the history books and summer turning into fall, that means that fire prevention week will be in the near future, October 6-12. This year’s fire prevention theme is Not Every Hero Wears a Cape: Plan and Practice your Escape. All departments wishing to submit posters need to make sure and go to the FFAM website and print the proper poster label so that all award winners can be notified.

Blake Templeton – 1st Place Special Needs – South Central Buchanan County FPD

Remi Muller – 2nd Place Special Needs – South Central Buchanan County FPD